Tim McGraw
by elion mitchel
Summary: She took time with him for granted. How will she make up for it? with OC. Songfic inspired by Taylor Swift's "Tim McGraw" and John Cena. Updates coming soon.
1. Prologue

Prologue

She sat quietly at the passenger seat of John Cena's rental. They were driving on a dusty road – a road that seemed all too familiar to her. She wasn't even sure if she should be there. But it was too late to turn back. She had taken the advice of those who cared – John's, especially. She had to give the letter.

John glanced at her and asked, "Watcha thinking 'bout, Ellz?"

Looking out her window through her shades, her grey-streaked brown hair blowing in the wind, she replied, "Maybe I shouldn't be doing this."

"Why not?"

"When I left, he wasn't all too happy."

"Oh, come on, Elion. It's been three years. I'm sure it would've boiled over by now."

Elion sighed and said, "There are things we can't forget, John..."

"Yeah, you're right...May Appleton..." he said with a chuckle. Elion laughed and hit him with her hand.

"Are we close?" John asked.

Elion saw the fated bus stop.

"Oh yeah...just a couple more minutes..."


	2. Chapter 1: Just A Boy In A Chevy Truck

**...disclaimer...**

...WWE and all its affiliates are property of Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon...

**...a/n...**

....thanks to Protege16 for subscribing to my story...and to mommy mnemopsyche for reviewing...

...i wish i had updated sooner, but i was only able to discover this "trick" just now...

...anyway, on with the story proper...

...ar-n-ar, please!!!

* * *

Chapter One - Just A Boy In A Chevy Truck

"Miss! Can you hear me? You're gonna have to step down the bus!"

Just great.

This was exactly what she needed right now. Being kicked out. She wanted to pretend that she couldn't hear him, much like earlier when the conductor didn't realize that he was being drowned out by her blaring earphones thus he wasn't getting his point across. But this time, albeit muffled, she heard him. She pulled off one earphone and peered at the conductor standing at the side of her bus seat through her bug-eyed amber shades. The guy didn't have to see the dark brown eyes underneath to be able to tell that she wasn't all too happy about what he said.

"Why?" she asked him with threat in her voice.

He replied while swallowing his fear, making his tone less straightforward, "Can't you see you're the only one left on the bus?"

_No duh...with this leg room?_

"So? Can't you drop me off to my destination? I mean, isn't that what buses do?"

"Normally, we'd do that, miss - "

"_Normally?_ Oh..." she said as she nodded and wagged her finger in understanding. "Is today really that abnormal, or is it just you?" she retorted with a smirk as she looked him up and down, silently scrutinizing his tacky outfit. _Damn! who the hell would wear knee socks with shorts? And what's with the glasses?_ The Conductor wasn't all too pleased; he took the blow, apparently, for he fixed his starch-ironed collar as though it would make things better.

"We're on a very tight schedule," in a tone that was suddenly so professional. "We have very good reason to kick you out right now. We have to get back to Atlanta as soon as possible to pick up the next set of passengers."

May Appleton felt the vehicle slowing down, and rolled her eyes. She basically had no choice. Reluctantly, and as the conductor looked on with a vengeful smirk, she got up from her comfy, stretched-out position on the bus seat, fluffed up the flattened duffel bag she was leaning on and retrieved her travel bag and guitar from under her seat. She then shot an angry look at the conductor, whose victory face cracked when he saw her anger, hardly concealed by the shades. By that time, the bus had made a complete halt at the nearest bus stop. she made her way to the bus door, refusing out of resentment the help offered by the dorky conductor. He, on the other hand, was glad that she refused, and folowed her like a tail until she was at the door. Seeing her get aggravated by his presence was vengeance enough.

When she finally set foot on the dusty road, she quickly realized something. Snappily turning to the conductor, she asked, "How do I get to Carlton Fields?"

"Two options, miss. One, you're in Georgia. If a car passes by, ride shotgun. If the driver's from Georgia, it's a guarantee."

"And two?"

The conductor supressed laughter and asked, "You wearing heels?"

May looked down at her flip-flopped feet. "No...what the h - "

"Then walk," he blurted out before finally breaking into laughter. Still laughing as the bus began to accelerate again, he took off his ill-colored cap and waved at her.

She watched with a look of disdain as the bus drove away, blowing clouds of smoke and dust from the road. Silence, and then...

"UGH!" _How effing frustrating!_

She moved to the side of the road where the sign of the bus stop stood, leaned her guitar on the chipped yellow post of the sign, and sat on her horizontal travel bag as she dug for her phone in the travel bag. How she wished she didn't let the chance to practice her wrestling grapples on that pathetic excuse for a guy to slip away, but she knew better. she speed dialed her aunt's number, with whom she was to spend the summer. Her business pro parents had to go away for work somewhere in California, and informed May earlier that she would be staying at Aunt Melissa in Carlton Fields, Georgia, until she had to return to Texas Wrestling Academy this September. she was okay with that;although they lived in the country-est place in Georgia, Aunt Mel and her son, May's favorite cousin Laurie, weren't one of those weird hillbilly folk - they were some of the few who had country attitudes but could live in New York without sticking out like a sore thumb. Plus, although she would've liked to have their six-digit condo unit all to herself, where she could wallow in luxury and WiFi all summer long, she didn't want to be placid, and she was certain that her parents' professional aura had rubbed on the place as though it had taken the form of a business-suited territorial tomcat who rubbed its glands on the throw pillows. No, she didn't want to expose ehrself to that rigid atmosphere, not this summer.

"Hey Aunt Mel."

"Howdy there, darlin'," replied a woman's sweet voice tinted by a cowgirl accent over the phone. "What's takin' ya so long?"

"The bus was rushing and had to drop me off 'cause I was the only one left. I need someone to pick me up."

"Ooh...sorry, hun, but my car's gettin' a tune-up. Are ya far from Carlton Fields?"

"Umm...no...I think I'm on the first stop on the northern road."

"That's good...certainly somebody's gonna come a-passin' by, especially at this time of day. They'll certainly give you a ride. If the driver's from Georgia - "

"It's a guarantee...I know, I know," as she scornfully recalled the conductor.

"Be patient, babe. Can't wait to see ya soon!"

"Me too, auntie...bye."

May hung up, threw the phone back into her bag, and rested her forehead on her hand. _Damn it, is this how I start my summer?!_ She had to wait five...ten...fifteen painfully long minutes before she finally saw something on wheels.

It was a Chevy pick-up truck, looking a bit worn-out. It was calmly getting closer; to May, it looked like a flake of snow falling unharmed in a drought. It came from the direction of Carlton Fields, so she almost doubted she'd be given the Georgia driver guarantee. Sticking out her thumb, she hoped to receive it.

Graciously, the truck slowed in front of her, and the driver's door opened. Before May could say anything, she saw the driver - or, at least, part of his head - come out. He seemed to be looking down at something. But finally, he looked up, and a kind young face with a pair of grey eyes looked at her. He was about her age, for all she could tell.

"Howdy, miss," he said in the same accent her aunt had, only it graced a younger and masculine voice. "How may I be of service."

"Hey," she replied. "I need a ride to Carlton Fields. Do you know the orchard neighborhood?"

"Sure do...that's where my good friend Melissa Appleton lives."

May's shock was proportional to the driver's calmness. "You know Mel Appleton?"

"Oh, miss, it's hard to forget kindness. That woman sure is something...and I like her son, too."

May smiled and asked, "Could you drive me to her?"

"I don't see why not," he replied with a smile in his voice as he went nearer to help with her things. That's when May finally saw him. A little taller, medium-length blond hair tied in a low ponytail under his tweed hat, typical hillbilly boy fashion of button-up shirt and faded jeans...

"Ya need help wit'yer stuff, little lady?"

"Do I?" she said as she stood up and passed her luggage to him. He received them without complaint and put them in the back of the truck.

"Get on in, miss. I need to ask ya some questions, if ya don't mind" he said as he walked to his door and went back in the car. May also went in the car and sat on the passenger seat. "First, I need ya to tell me why you wanna go to Mel Appleton."

"I'm her niece, May Appleton," she said as she fastened her seatbelt with one hand and offered the other for a handshake.

"Oh, so yer Aunty Mel's sweet little niece," he remarked with glee as he received the hanging handshake. May had to suppress a blush. "I've heard 'bout ya from Laurie. I'm Kenth McJohn. Pleased to meet ya, Miss Appleton."

"Oh, say May...Miss Appleton is my mother!"

"Right, then say Kenth if ya need me."

She smiled and replied, "Sure, I will."

Kenth smiled as well as he started the engine. It took a number of attempts before the Chevy revved back to life. He turned to look at his passenger, still wearing his genuine smile as he said, "My apologies. It does that."


	3. Chapter 2: Beside Him

**...disclaimer...**

...WWE and all its affiliates are property of Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon...

**...a/n...**

...thanks to MrsRKOCena for the review...

...the first three chaps are all gonna be expository, so my apologies if it becomes too lengthy...i've been on a writing hiatus for a while and i'm still improving my writing style and acquiring the skill of using events to introduce and describe characters...hope this one works well enough...

* * *

Chapter Two - Beside Him

Kenth's Chevy was old and stubborn, as May had already guessed, but it still worked well enough for the young country boy to be able to drive at a fast-enough speed. The softly rushing wind blew into the open passenger window, and May's medium-length black-brown hair flowed like a soft river alongside the wind's current. It gave her a sense of liberation. No more rigid parents. No more painful body slams. No more trips to the ER. At least for three months. But her aloof feel-good bubble burst when Kenth's smooth voice reached her ear.

"So, May, what brings ya here to Aunty Mel in Carlton Fields?"

"My parents are gonna spend the whole summer at a business trip outside Manhattan. I'm spending my summer here, 'cause I'm so tired from school. And, besides, I'd be all alone in our condo, which isn't so relaxing even when there are people around. I think - and so does Aunt Mel - that a change of air will do me good."

"I hear ya. The city's so crowded and full of fleeting stuff, ya end up losing yer time, and rushing through yer life. We can't afford to do that."

May nodded, which led to a short silence.

"Are ya so tired from school that ya need a place like Carlton Fields to loosen up? How hard is it?"

May smiled and replied, "You have no idea, man."

"Oh, but I'm sure I do. I went to high school too, y'know."

"Yeah, but I'm done with high school...You have no idea what I'm doing now. It's not the same as high school."

"Well...what _are_ you doing?"

She hesitated a little bit. Whenever the people she meets find out that she is undergoing professional training to be a wrestler and worked part-time as a coffee barista, one or both of two things would happen. If the person is some bigshot, he'd ask, "You're not going to college?". If he's a bigshot who knew her parents, he'd ask the constant raised-eyebrow question that comes her way, "Is it all right with your parents?". Dang, she didn't even know why her parents agreed to pay for her training because of how they indirectly press her to change her mind with questions like, "Why would you prefer to be flipped around when there are easier ways of earning money?", "Do you really find it hard to study for a few more years?", "How many times do you have to go to the hospital for you to realize that you need something better?".

But every new opportunity presents her with a clean slate. Maybe this time, it'll be different...

"Do you _really _wanna know?"

When she looked at him, she saw his eyes shining with sincerity and interest. She looked out the window and took a deep breath.

_Here goes nothing..._

"I'm training to be a wrestler..."

"Oh..." he said with no trace of the backlash May was anticipating. But he wasn't done yet.

_Wait for it...wait for it..._

"That's...so amazing!"

She turned to look at him. "It is?"

He looked thrilled, like a five-year-old in a candy shop. "You bet!" Then his eyes looked her up and down, taking in the tank top in the blue hoodie and the jeans and flip flops. He then added, "I didn't know that someone like you...who looks like you...is actually training to wrestle!"

"What's wrong with the way I look?"

"Nothing...it's just...so...unexpected..."

"Yeah...I get that a lot. They say that, being the daughter of stock market moguls, I should be getting a degree in finance or something..."

"That ain't right. See, that's what's wrong with some people. They depend so much on stereotypes but they wonder why life is so boring."

May was impressed. That's probably the smartest thing she's ever heard since high school. "Yeah...exactly."

"Where are ya trainin'?"

"At TWA..."

"TWA?" He sounded even more thrilled. "As in..._the _TWA?"

"You mean the one Shawn Michaels helped establish?"

"That's the one!"

"Better believe it, man!"

"Oh, that is SO cool! Has the man himself ever been there?"

"Once or twice, yeah...you're a fan of his?"

"He's my hero! Been watching him since I was ten!"

"Oh, man...we have too much in common..."

They talked casually, like they were old friends catching up on lost time, about this common interest they shared. The nearly half-hour ride seemed much shorter to them, as though time rolled faster than the Chevy's wheels.

They entered the orchard neighborhood, turned the corner, and drove into a subdivision. As a familiar pleasant-looking country house greeted May's shaded eyes, Kenth said, "Here we are, miss...Melissa Appleton's place." The Chevy stopped near the front porch as May unbuckled her seat belt and picked up her duffel bag. she stepped out to help Kenth unload her things unto the porch. She smiled appreciatively at him.

"Thanks for the ride, Kenth."

"No problem, lil' miss...say hi to yer auntie and Laurie for me," as he lifted his hat to her. Then, he went back into the truck and started the engine as May walked up to the front door and knocked on the oakwood.

The door opened with a start, wafting out the scent of baking apple pie, and May smiled at the woman with brown eyes and curly hair who opened the door. Aunt Mel smiled and said, "May, deary! Glad to see ya made it," as she invited her in and closed the door.

* * *

Twenty minutes after passing the bus stop, John and Elion saw a sign that read, "Welcome to Carlton Fields". John looked at Elion as she sighed. The last time Elion remembered that she was this tense was when she rode that old Chevy truck, deliberating whether or not she should tell her new friend about her TWA training.

"Why are you so scared of seeing him again?"

"I already told you. He might have not found the heart to forgive me yet. Plus, you and Hunter and Shawn said I should go see him, try to make up for time taken for granted."

"Here's a better question: Why do you wanna give him that?"

He was taking about the folded paper in Elion's hand, tied with a tweed ribbon and a pressed chamomile sprig.

"An attempt to make amends."

"Why?"

Elion looked away and said, "I don't wanna lose someone like him. He was a good friend."

John couldn't deny a small pool of jealousy forming in his chest. He tried to overcome it as he asked, "Was that all he ever was to you?"

Elion turned to look at him. His eyes were on the road, but something told her that he felt a little hurt. This made her hesitate in answering; instead, she asked, "What if I say 'no'?"

John looked at her, her expression looking a bit inhibited, then back at the road as he heaved out a sigh and forced a smile.

* * *

**...a/n...**

...hope this worked out well...please r&r!!!

**_...with love and a 'suck it', e. mitch... :)_**


	4. Chapter 3: I Was Right There

**...disclaimer...**

...WWE and all its affiliates are property of Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon...

**...a/n...**

...if anyone i haven't acknowledged yet is reading this, thanks a lot...

...this is probably the longest chap i have drafted so far...i'm not even done drafting this, yet...i've already started work on 'Shaken'...i'll post it up as soon as this is done...

...and don't be confused with the chap numbers...this is chapter three...the prologue isn't counted as a chapter...the system doesn't allow me to edit that...i'll try to make it less confusing...

...on to the story...

* * *

Chapter Three - I Was Right There

May woke up to the smell of pancakes. She got up straight away, knowing that her aunt always makes the best meals - breakfast most especially. Opening her wardrobe, she changed into a white tank top and sweats. She then went to her mirror and brushed up her hair in a ponytail. After going to the bathroom and splashing water on her face, she heard her aunt call out, "May, deary! Hurry up and get yer breakfast before your cousin Laurie gets here first and eats it all!"

"Coming, auntie!" she called out as she patted her face dry. She quickly ran downstairs, but before she could even remember where the dining room was, she found herself being tackled by a pair of strong muscular arms.

"Ellie!" cousin Laurie cried out in glee, his arm wrapped around his pretty little cousin's neck while the other rubbed his knuckles on the top of her head. May growled happily as she tried to wrench away, which took barely a moment. Laurie was impressed; her training was paying off.

"Aww, Laurie..."she said as she broke free, undoing her ruined ponytail and running her hand through it. "You mussed up my hair."

"My apologies, Elion," he said as he walked to the dining room, his cousin following behind. May had always wondered why he called her that, until her aunt revealed that she reminded both her and him of their lost little jewel, Elion Appleton, who was unfortunate enough to have accompanied her father when the car crashed.

"Save yer energy for work, Laurence," Aunt Mel's jolly voice came from the near the stove. May and Laurie sat down at the table, and she poured herself some cereal as Aunt Mel walked over and placed a plate of heartiness in front of her and Laurie. Two buckwheat pancakes topped with freshly-sliced peaches and a generous outpour of maple syrup. Typical Aunt Mel.

Shortly after, Aunt Mel took her place on the table with her coffee and pancakes as Laurie already began hacking on his helping. Typical Laurie.

Aunt Mel smiled at May and asked, "Will you be giving a hand in some of the work, hun?"

"I may do a little bit of this and that around here...I'll see what I can do."

"I betcha can do a-plenty!" remarked Laurie with a mouthful of buckwheats, his smiling hazel eyes flicking up from his plate to her. When he finally swallowed after a gentle disapproving look from Aunt Mel, he added, "With all that tacklin' and trainin' you've bin doin', ya could certainly help me out. Though..." he continued with pomp as he arrogantly sat straight, "...I'm not saying I need any more help, with these muscles I have..."

"Oh, you little - "

"Now, now, you two..." Aunt Mel discouraged as May began to stand, planning to headlock Laurie after sending her a challenging look. May sank back down on her chair, both her and Laurie suppressing laughs.

"Well, deary," said Aunt Mel, "now that you've agreed to help, why don't ya help us out at the orchard later this afternoon?"

May was a person who didn't exactly hate being idle, but didn't like to do nothing either. "How 'bout this morning?"

"You can help me out," offered Laurie. "I'm gonna need me sum extra muscle with fixing up the toolshed and the tractor."

May couldn't resist seizing the opportunity to bite back. "I thought you didn't need extra muscle."

"Well, there are exceptions..."

"Exceptions? or is it the toolshed too much for Mr. Elbow Grease?"

Laurie laughed loudly as he stood and shook up her hair yet again. "As if...finish up quick and be dressed for the shed, 'kay, baby Elion?"

May grunted as she drank her juice. Aunt Mel smiled over her coffee. Those two always brought some of the life back in the house.

* * *

"It's nice to have ya back here, Ellie," Laurie said from under the tractor, several tools lined up beside him. May, wearing one of her cousin's jumpers - similar to the one he wore right now - and her white t-shirt, stood on the ladder as she hammered in one last nail on the new wood board that adjoined two supports. She smiled when she heard him.

"I kinda like coming back here, Laurie."

"Why? Do ya like being tackled every mornin'?" he asked in an amused tone. Ever the narcissist, he was talking about himself.

"Not really...but I like you, Laurie..."

"Aww...shucks - "

"Enough about you..."

"Is it the orchards and fields?"

"Nu-uh..."

"Aunty Mel's buckwheat flapjacks?"

"Delicious...but no."

"The wrench?"

"What?"

Laurie rolled the skateboard he was lying on and said as he brushed off his rye-colored hair. "Give me the wrench, Ellie dear."

"Oh," she realized, then she took out the wrench in her handyman belt, jumped down the ladder, and placed it in Laurie's greasy hand. He received it and rolled back under the big machine. May stepped back and sat on an upturned pail, placing her elbows on her knees as she bowed forward. She had always been boyish.

"So why do you like it here?"

"Do I need to have reasons?"

"Well...no...but this _is_ an interesting little neighborhood, Carlton Fields. The people here are kind."

"Yeah, I know that."

"So you've met someone?"

"Huh?" May was jolted by the question. She recalled the stranger who became her friend after the ride. "Oh, yeah, I did...He said he was your friend"

"Really? Who?"

May knitted her eyebrows together as she tried to recall the name. "He said his name was...Kenth McJohn"

"Ahh..." Laurie replied nonchalantly. "Kenny-boy"

"Why am I the only one who never met him before yesterday?"

"'Cause he's the one who brings Aunty Mel's goods from here to the farmers' market every day." He added after a short silence, "How'd'ya find him?"

"He's overly nice to strangers..." she said with a laugh.

"Yep..." then his tone suddenly changed."...that's how we met him."

She tilted her head in curiosity. "How?"

He didn't say anything, as though he didn't really wanna talk about it. But before she could ask again, he called out, "Ya done wit' the boards?"

"Oh...yeah."

"Good...we're done here, Elie-girl."

"Don't you need any more help?"

He rolled from under the vehicle to look at her and patted his bicep. "I can take it from here, lil' miss."

He managed to laugh and roll back under the tractor to save his eyes from the dust May kicked up. Sniggering and shaking her head, she walked out of the shed. But then, she was back to thinking. Why was Laurie so saddened when he remembered how he met Kenth?

* * *

**...a/n...**

...a bit lengthy, i know...

...btw, Elion is pronounced /eel-yon/, Ellie /el-lee/, and Ellz /elz/...just thought you needed to know...

...i'll be dormant for some days...review classes are keeping me busy...i'll start working on chapters 4 and 5 so i can post them up soon at the same time...

...hope you like it so far...

**_...with love and a 'suck it', e. mitch... :)_**


	5. Chapter 4: Tendency Of Getting Stuck

**...disclaimer...**

...WWE and all its affiliates are property of Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon...

**...a/n...**

…so I revisited this story after more than a year of forced writing hiatus (being a graduating student is no walk in the park, y'know) and re-edited this chapter because I just noticed the embarrassing typos and errors in grammar…now that I'm a college girl, I'll have plenty of time to update this…and I have been drafting all summer long so plenty of updates in a short time will come a-rolling…

...back to the story...this is when Elion goes to help out at the orchard...and something very unexpected happens...

* * *

Chapter Four - Tendency Of Getting Stuck

She was like a little cat, helpless. And stuck up an apple tree. Whoever came up with karma didn't see this one coming.

At the orchards that afternoon, May tried to help out a little boy whose kite got stuck up the branch of a tree. At first, she hesitated to help - not because she didn't want to, but because she wasn't dressed for tree climbing. Instead of her usual shirt and jeans, she was in a summer dress and jeans. She didn't want to do anything rough lest she damage the dress which, according to Aunt Mel, was Elion's favorite. But eventually, her heart got the best of her, and she climbed up the tree and freed the kite from the leafy grip of the branches. The little boy gratefully smiled at her and ran off happy with the kite trailing behind him in the wind, and May was glad to see that. But when she tried to get down, her acrophobia struck again. And if that wasn't enough, the strap of her dress got caught on a particularly clingy branch. With no one around at where the tree stood, she had no frickin' choice but to sit and wait. _First the bus, now this. Is my summer really gonna be wasted in waiting?_ And then she saw a pair of boots and jeans.

From where she was, that's all she could see. The person looked like he was standing a little in front of the tree. When she tried to call out, it looked like he couldn't hear her. And then she saw an apple in her reach. She picked it out, took a bite in case he might assume that it just fell, and aimed at the legs. Bull's eye, he got hit - exactly what she was counting on. She saw him turn around. Maybe he was looking at the bitten apple, and he tried to figure out where in heaven's name it came from. When he looked up the tree, May saw a familiar face.

"Kenth?" she asked in shock.

"May!" he replied, equally surprised.

"What are you doing here?"

Trying not to laugh, he said, "I could ask ya the same thing."

"I'm...stuck," she replied sheepishly.

"How'd'ya get up there?"

"I'll tell you when I get down. Problem is, my dress got caught."

"What exactly got caught?"

"The strap," she said as she looked at her shoulder and at the stuck strap. Literally, it was hanging by a thread. "Well, the thread of the strap, to be specific."

"Can ya try to pull away?"

She began pulling herself free, hoping to break the thread. It was just a tiny thread; what damage could it do?

A lot.

The thread snapped, and she unexpectedly broke free. She lost her balance and fell off the branch. The reason she dreaded heights.

Good thing Kenth caught her, or rather, broke her fall. Because of how sudden she fell, they both found themselves on the ground. Kenth groaned and let his head fall back on the ground as May tried to get on her hands and knees. But when they both realized that Kenth was underneath her, she quickly pulled away and stood up. She dusted off her skinny jeans, cleared her throat, and extended a hand to help him stand, all the while trying not to look at him. He took her hand and pulled himself up, stifling his amused laughter.

"Ya okay?"

"Ah, been in worse pain...nothing seems to be broken."

"Now, will ya tell me? And while yer at it, could'ya explain the clothes on yer back? That is no way for a wrestler-in-trainin' to dress," he said with pure amusement in his drawl as his eyes took in the flowy summer dress and the dark skinny jeans.

Smiling, and finally looking at him, she replied, "I'm not sure if I can explain the reason why I'm wearing this, but I'm sure you know by now that they're part of the reason why I got up there."

"And what's the other part?"

May's smile got brighter as she looked over his shoulder. Kenth turned around to figure out what she was looking at, which was a little boy running around with his kite flying freely, a very naive and innocent laugh gracing his youthful face. Kenth figured it out without asking questions.

He looked at her again and said, "That's very nice of you, May. I'm sure ya just made that lil' boy's day."

"I just felt like being selfless..."

"Yep," he remarked as he looked up from where she fell. "If a girl like you didn't forget herself, she wouldn't be stuck up a tree like a lil' cat. Ya didn't just become selfless; ya completely left yerself on the ground!"

He laughed, and May hit him with he r hand, laughing along. They didn't notice Aunt Mel coming until she put a hand on May's shoulder.

"Aunty!" she said in pleasant surprise. Her aunt was smiling at her, as usual.

"We're done here, darlin'." She looked at Kenth and smiled at him. "I see ya'v already met Kenth."

"Yes, ma'am, we've met," he said as he tipped his hat to her.

"Thanks for givin' her the ride yesterday. Do ya mind grantin' us another favor?"

"Not at all."

"We have sum apple baskets that need to go to the Covington's. Could ya lend a helpin' hand and drive down along there?"

"Sure thing, ma'am," he agreed with the same kind smile May saw on his face yesterday.

"Thanks a lot, Kenny-boy. Come along now, May. Give us a hand with the baskets."

"Sure, auntie. And, auntie…" she said, her voice trailing into coyness, "could I go with Kenth to the Covington's?"

Aunt Mel looked at her, unbelieving at first, then Kenth said, "Don't worry, ma'am. This precious lil' thing is in safe hands." Once again, May had to suppress a blush. _True, I do feel safe when he's there...oh, wait..._

"All right, then, if ya say she's safe, she's safe. Now, come along, you two. We still need to load the truck."

* * *

"John, I didn't mean to make you mad..."

"Huh? Oh, no Ellie...I'm just thinking."

"Wow...if any more thinking happens in this rental, we may have to deal with a brainstorm," Elion said, trying to inject life in the moment.

John merely smiled and said, "Yeah, probably."

Then there was silence. The most awkward silence in the entire trip. Heck, it was the _only_ awkward silence they had for the entire drive.

"So...I wanna know..."

"Hmm?"

"What if he's not just a friend?"

He didn't know what to say. Might as well be honest. He didn't want to lie, especially not to her.

"I'd be a little jealous."

He looked at her as she raised her eyebrows. "Is that it?"

"Maybe."

"John...if I hurt you, I'm sorry."

"Don't be...you know me...I can be a little selfish at times."

His eyes went on the road again, but Elion kept looking at him with a hurt and sorry look in her eyes. She took his hand on the lever and squeezed it. He looked at their hands, then her face.

"John, the past is past. I may have had feelings for him before, but things are different now. I have you."

"Ellie, you're being sappy again."

She scoffed her laughter and replied, "I know. I can't help it. You're forcing me to be sappy."

He smiled at her again, then turned to look at the road. Elion let go of his hand and sank into her chair, thinking. Convincing herself. Yes, of course. What she felt for Kenth was different from what she had with John. The way she fell for Kenth was just like that fall in the orchard - unexpected, ending on a painful and awkward note. But she didn't fall for John. He didn't wait for her to fall. He saved her from being stuck in pain, much like that kite she retrieved. And that was what she needed.

**

* * *

...a/n...**

..ah heads up...you might be wondering, "hey, where's the wrestling part of this fic?"...one, can't you recognize John?...two, this fic will be more concentrated on wrestling in the later chaps, so look out for that...

…next chap may be up tomorrow…I have loads of free time now, most especially with the incident that closed down the hall where most of my Wednesday and Friday classes are held…^^

…comments and subscriptions are appreciated… :D

_**...with love and a 'suck it', e. mitch... :)**_


	6. Chapter 5: All Summer Long

**...disclaimer...**

...WWE and all its affiliates are property of Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon...

**...a/n...**

...i broke yet another promise and forgot to update yesterday...my friends 'kidnapped' me, and i couldn't resist hanging out with them...

...so here's one of the chaps i drafted over the summer the moment i realized that this wonderful plot was beginning to gather dust...i can't let it go to waste...

...read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Five - All Summer Long

"Kenth?"

"Yea?"

"You sure you know where you're going?"

"Yea, o'course."

"But Aunt Mel's isn't _this_ far from the Covington's. It looks like we're going in circles."

"Yea, I know. It feels like that when you've never gone there before."

"Kenth...are we lost?"

"Naw, lil' miss. We're almost there."

"Almost where?"

"All right, ma'am. We're here!" he announced as he turned a curve yet again.

May's impatience dissolved when she looked out the window and saw the place where Kenth had brought her. The moment she stepped out of the car, she set foot on the most breath-taking lakeside she had ever seen. She slowly walked on the wooden bridge that led to the lake that glistened beautifully under the late afternoon sun. Surrounding the lake in a semicircle on the other side was a quiet forest of pines. May was awestruck as she slowly surveyed the surroundings with her eyes. Never had she seen something so beautiful. She walked to the end of the bridge and sat on its edge, taking it all in. Kenth sat right next to her, looking at her pleasantly-surprised expression, satisfied that he took her here.

"I come here a lot. I think, let my feelings out, clear my head, right on this spot where we're sittin'. This lake - " they both looked down at their reflections in the water " - has heard me ramble, watched me laugh, caught my tears..."

May turned to look at him. His eyes were unfocused yet staring at a distance, his expression suddenly serious and pensive.

"So this place must mean a lot to you."

He seemed to snap out of whatever he was in, looked at her, and smiled. "Yea. It kinda does."

"Nice to see you smile. I thought I lost you there."

"Aw, yea. Sorry 'bout that. I just remembered sumthin'."

They were silent for a moment, looking at the scenery. Then May cleared her throat and asked, "So, you know my Aunt Mel and my cousin Laurie quite well."

"Yes, deary. I _am_ their truck boy."

"I kinda figured that out. So..."

Kenth looked at her when he heard her trail off. "So what, May?"

She turned to look at him as well, and met his grey eyes, which shone the same way they did during their first conversation. This made her want to ask immediately, to not keep him hanging -

_Hold on, missy. Laurie didn't want to talk about it, and he's your closest cousin. How much more this guy, who only knew you for two days?_

He saw her mouth ready to speak, but she stopped herself. As though he read her mind, he said, "D'ya wanna know how I came across those kind-hearted folk?" As a reassurance, he punctuated with a smile.

"Oh, Kenth, you don't have to. If it's so personal - "

"Nah, miss. It ain't that much of a secret. Besides, ya have all the right to know. But I dunno if ya trust me enough already."

"What do you mean? Aunt Mel trusts you. Laurie trusts you. Shouldn't I trust you too?"

"Exactly. Ya should trust me, but trust isn't easily given like soup in Sunday kitchens, y'know, though yer so ready to give yers to me. Problem is, I haven't earned it properly. So, for yer trust in me to be the same as Aunt Mel's and Laurie's, ya have to let me earn it the old-fashioned way."

May fell quiet. _This guy is one heck of a sage._

"All right. So what do I do?"

"Ya have to give me time. Lotsandlotsa time. It might take me all summer long, I tell ya."

"Fine by me. That gives me something to look forward to this summer, besides chores and all."

"And ya have to come with me to wherever I decide to take ya."

"Isn't this a start?"

"And, I promise to ya, May Appleton of the New York Appletons, that once I have earned your full confidence, I will - hear, I will! - "he jumped to his feet and took her hand, and his other hand pressed a fist to his chest; May laughed " - tell ya how I met Melissa and Laurence."He then knelt on his knee, still holding her hand in his, and concluded his man-of-word show by saying, "Ya have my word, as a gentleman."

May stifled her laughter, cleared her throat, and looked pseudo-seriously at him.

"Fine, Kenth McJohn of the Georgia McJohns. I accept your gentleman's words. Let's shake on it."

They both stood up, facing each other. Like the professional she never wanted to become, May extended her hand for a handshake. Kenth was about to receive it, but stopped himself mid-air and said, "One more thing."

May floded her arms, as though annoyed, which she certainly wasn't. She was enjoying this. "Fire away."

"One of these days, lil' lady, when ya need me and can't find me, look first and foremost here. If I ain't here, I may be home. Ya can leave anything you need to give me on my doorstep, if ya can't hand it personally." This time, he was the one who initiated a handshake. which May received.

"Same here, man."

"What?"

"Look for me here, or at Aunt Mel's. Instead of the doorstep, use the mailbox."

"And if ya ain't near Carlton Fields?"

"Then fly to Manhattan."

They both laughed.

* * *

The rental stopped by the lakeside. Elion stepped out of the car, gripping the letter in her hand, and walked with searching eyes on the wooden bridge. Despite the three summers that have passed, the lake was still just as lovely as she remembered. Lovely, but empty. He wasn't there.

She sighed, then walked back to the car and sat back into the passenger seat. John turned to her as she closed the door.

"Where to now?"

"His house," she said, her eyes not turning away from the lake. "We have to pass by the back road before we can get back to the neighborhood."

"Okay." He revved the engine back to life, then began to drive away.

Elion looked straight in front of her and sank into her chair and back into her thoughts again. They promised they would find each other here. But, unlike the lake, the once unbroken promise was not what it used to be. And just like the lake, it became empty.

**

* * *

...a/n...**

...i just realized that i was only able to draft two new chaps this summer before time and writer's block got the best of me...i will finish this, though...you have my word...

...review, comment, subscribe, recommend! :)

_**...with love and a 'suck it', e. mitch... :)**_


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